‘Come along in,’ Conor invited her, hoisting several bags into his arms and leading the way.
Picking up a few packages, she followed him and found herself in a big, homely kitchen with a slate floor, rustic table and filled with welcoming warmth from a Rayburn. The room had pale wood units, slate worktops and was decorated in creams, pastel yellows and pastel blues. Sunshine flooded in through a large window and a pair of glass doors at one end that looked out towards the coast. Kate had no idea what she had expected of the place Conor lived, but it wasn’t this. She felt at home, at peace. Which was scary. Sensing him watching her, she turned away and set down the bags, nervous now she was alone with him on his own territory. He collected the last of the things, returning to the kitchen to unpack everything, glancing at her with a sheepish smile.
‘It does look rather a lot, doesn’t it?’
‘They’re going to be two very spoiled kittens.’
Warm green eyes looked at her. ‘I like spoiling those special to me.’
Her pulse rate rose and a tingle of awareness shivered through her. For a moment she didn’t think she could breathe, then Conor moved away, releasing her from his spell, and she sucked air into her parched lungs. Feeling shaky, she watched as he fixed Callie’s artwork to the big fridge with a couple of magnets, the painting joining an assorted collection of photos, cards and funny quotations. Next he took out a couple of glasses and then opened a bottle of red wine, letting it stand for a few moments while he returned to the fridge, taking out an enormous dish topped with mashed potatoes which he put into one of the Rayburn’s ovens.
‘Hannah will skin me alive if her fish pie isn’t ready!’ He smiled, returning to pour the wine. ‘She and Nic will be here soon.’
‘I was going to go home. I thought—’ Her words snapped off and she wondered how she was to extract herself from this situation.
‘That would be a shame—they’d be upset not to see you.’
She bit her lip, suspicious that Conor had tricked her into this. ‘I didn’t realise they were bringing the kittens today.’
‘That’s why I was in a rush to get the things.’ His expression looked innocent as he handed her a glass. ‘Here you go. Try this.’
‘Thanks.’
Conor turned away, moving back to the fridge and taking out salad ingredients. ‘I arranged for them to go and see Charlie—he’s called the puppy Ben, by the way. Nic and Hannah are coming here afterwards. Feel free to wander around and make yourself at home.’
Kate hovered for a moment, torn between wanting to escape and genuine pleasure at the thought of seeing Hannah and Nic again. Not to mention the kittens. She took a fortifying sip of wine, watching from beneath her lashes as Conor prepared the food, impressed with his easy dexterity. Curious to see more of the house and needing space from the intensity of being close to him, she wandered out of the kitchen that was at the single-storey end of the house. A light passageway led to a small formal dining room and a flight of stairs led up from the hall to the upper storey. She bypassed the stairs, finding a small cloakroom and then a study, where Conor clearly spent a fair amount of time. A similar-sized room came next and was packed with shelves of books. She browsed a while, finding a mix of local history, environment, biographies, sport and some novels. Moving on, the last remaining room was the living room. It was beautiful. In the old part of the house, the beamed ceilings were lower but the room was light, large windows and French doors looking out over the wonderful garden and the views to the south and south-west. The plain walls, painted a pale terracotta, made the atmosphere even more cosy and warm. At the other end was an inviting inglenook fireplace and she could imagine curling up on one of the sofas and snuggling up in front of that fire on a freezing winter night. Alarmed at the direction of her thoughts, she spun away and crossed to gaze out at the garden.
She sensed rather than heard Conor’s approach, glancing over her shoulder as he came into the room with an armful of logs.
‘OK, sweetheart?’
‘Fine,’ she murmured, watching as he knelt down by the fire and swiftly coaxed it to life. ‘Your house is lovely.’
‘Thank you. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and I’m really happy here. Did you see upstairs?’
‘No.’ Upstairs meant bedrooms and that was far too dangerous and tempting.
‘The views from the terrace are wonderful.’
It wasn’t the views she was worried about! She was saved from further difficulties by the sound of a car arriving outside, and Conor rose to his feet, setting a guard in front of the fire.
‘Let’s go and see our kittens!’
Kate wanted to point out that they were nothing to do with her, but he had already set off along the passageway. She followed more slowly, feeling out of place, but Hannah and Nic greeted her with enthusiasm and she was soon drawn into their circle, her nerves dissipating.
‘I can’t believe how much they’ve grown in such a short time!’ she exclaimed as Nic set down the travel basket and Hannah handed one frisky grey kitten to Conor and one to her.
She cradled it in her arms, realising it was the one with the little white mark on its front. They seemed not to have been bothered by their journey, settling down for a cuddle, trying to outdo each other with the loudness of their purring.
‘You’re certainly well prepared! You have a whole pet shop in here.’ Hannah laughed, looking around the kitchen. ‘What are you going to call them, Conor?’
‘I’ve chosen Smoky for this little girl,’ he answered with a smile, looking like a proud father as he sat at the rustic table, the kitten cuddled against his chest, and Kate felt her heart clench as his green gaze met hers. ‘Kate picked the other name.’
She flushed as Nic and Hannah looked at her with interested speculation, concerned they may get the wrong idea about her and Conor. ‘I suggested Willow,’ she replied, looking down at the contented kitten.
‘Willow is a lovely name,’ Nic said, his Italian accent warm and attractive.
‘It suits her,’ Hannah agreed with a smile. ‘And Ben suits our little dog. He’s looking amazing, Conor. It was so lovely to see him again, happy and settled in his new home. Charlie was full of Ben’s progress and antics!’
‘The change in Charlie is amazing. Thanks to Kate. The idea was inspired,’ Conor added, his approval making Kate’s cheeks warm and setting her pulse skittering again.
They chatted about Ben and the animals until it was time to eat. With the kittens settled in their new beds and curled up asleep after their adventurous day, Conor served up the salad and some fresh granary bread, then took the steaming, mouth-watering pie from the oven. The aroma was enough to set Kate’s taste buds zinging and she wasn’t the only one as Hannah took her place at the table with enthusiasm.
‘Ooh, you don’t know how I’ve been looking forward to this!’ she sighed, as Conor set the dish on the table.
Laughing, Nic poured the wine before taking a seat beside his wife. ‘The way she raves about your food, my friend, makes me feel inadequate,’ he teased, his brown eyes full of mischief.
‘If I wasn’t already stuck with you, I’d marry Conor just for his cooking!’ Hannah giggled at the possessive look on her husband’s face. ‘Don’t be silly, Nic, I’m only teasing. Conor wouldn’t have me anyway!’
Kate was disconcerted when Hannah smiled at her, a knowing look in her eyes. Was the other woman alluding to the fact that Conor was shy of marriage and families? She felt his gaze on her but didn’t look up, concentrating on her meal as Hannah tucked into the food with appreciative sighs of enjoyment. Kate took her first mouthful of Conor’s fish pie and thought she had gone to heaven. Oh, my! She closed her eyes, savouring the subtle but delectable flavours that melted on her tongue. Realising the room had gone quiet, she opened her eyes, flushing as she discovered the others watching her with amusement.
‘Well?’ Hannah demanded with a grin.
Kate flicked a brief glance towards Conor
. ‘It’s lovely.’
Thankful when the conversation moved on and she was no longer the centre of attention, Kate concentrated on enjoying her food, lingering over every forkful. She didn’t remember ever having tasted anything so delicious. Except for Conor himself. Heat flooded through her and she couldn’t stop herself looking at him, seeing desire flare in the depths of his green eyes as his gaze met hers. She feared he knew just what she was thinking about.
Feeling edgy, Kate was glad when the evening came to an end, fretting about whether Conor would try to delay her, surprised when he suggested Nic and Hannah drop her at the surgery on their way through the village. As the others lingered in the living room, Kate went to the kitchen to collect her things and say goodbye to the kittens. It was a wrench, leaving them, and she wished she could take them home, envying Conor their company. As she was about to leave the kitchen to rejoin the others, she heard their voices approaching.
‘Kate?’
She straightened at Conor’s call, casting a final glance at the sleeping kittens. ‘I’m coming.’
Rejoining them in the hallway, she was grateful that Hannah and Nic bustled her out to the car without further delay, although Conor’s apparent disinterest contrarily played on her mind.
Hannah turned to smile at her as Nic drove down the drive to the lane. ‘Tell me you are going to come to the fundraising dinner and keep me company.’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Please. It wouldn’t be the same without you, would it, Nic?’ Hannah demanded.
She saw Nic shake his head in the dimness of the car. ‘It would make us very happy to have you join us, Kate.’
‘What exactly is this dinner?’ she queried, not wanting to commit herself.
‘Hasn’t Conor told you?’ Hannah protested, tutting in frustration. ‘It’s a charity event we have twice a year for all the local services: health professionals from hospitals and general practices; the fire service; mountain rescue; RNLI; police. Members of the public can buy tickets, too, and we raise money for necessary equipment for the hospital or the air ambulance, that kind of thing.’
‘I didn’t bring anything to wear to something like that,’ Kate prevaricated, hoping that would be an end to it, but she had counted without Hannah’s determination.
‘That’s no problem,’ the other woman said dismissively. ‘It’s not formal ballgowns or anything. I know the perfect place—I’ll email you the details. Aileen will tell you more about it.’
Kate was thankful when the car drew up at the surgery. ‘I’ll see. Thanks for the lift. It was good seeing you both again.’
‘You too, Kate,’ Hannah replied, warmth in her voice.
Kate opened the door, surprised when Nic climbed out as well. ‘I’ll walk you down, cara.’
‘Thanks.’
At her door she searched her bag for her key before smiling at him. ‘Goodnight.’
In the security light, Nic’s dark eyes were kind and understanding. ‘Take care, Kate. We’ll hope to see you soon. Don’t forget you have friends here.’
She watched him walk into the darkness, his parting words ringing in her ears. Her mind buzzing with myriad thoughts, she went inside, locked up and prepared for bed.
True to her promise, Kate found an email from Hannah in her inbox on Monday morning, giving the details of somewhere she could get a suitable outfit. Kate still wasn’t sure whether to go. There were also emails from James and a couple of friends, but with a busy surgery ahead she left those for that evening when she would have more time. The final email was from Conor. She felt nervous when she opened it, wondering why he was contacting her that way, but a smile curved her mouth when she discovered he had taken digital photos of the kittens and had sent her some. After emailing a brief note of thanks, she changed her desktop screensaver to an image of Smoky and Willow then buzzed her first patient through.
As she had predicted, her morning was hectic. After her consultations she went out on home visits and it was lunchtime when she arrived back at the surgery. It was quiet when she walked in so she left her tray of notes for Jenny or Aileen to file and some correspondence she needed Barbara Allcott, their medical secretary, to prepare, then walked down the corridor towards her room. As she passed Conor’s door, he glanced up and beckoned her in.
‘Hi,’ he greeted. ‘Do you have a minute?’
‘Sure,’ she agreed, feeling wary as she sat down.
‘I gather you’ve been out to see feisty Mrs Lucas at the residential home this morning?’
Kate nodded, frowning. ‘Is there a problem?’
‘No, of course not!’ Conor looked at her in surprise. ‘I wanted your impressions of the place. It’s not been open long.’
‘I’ve been there a couple of times now and I’ve found it excellent.’
His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, leaning back in his chair and linking his hands behind his head. ‘Don’t look so worried. I’ve had an idea.’
‘What about?’ she queried, trying to relax and not notice the way the fabric of his T-shirt pulled across the muscles of his chest.
‘Lizzie Dalglish.’ Conor sat forward, taking out a set of notes. ‘You know we were talking about the problems of her living with Yvonne and Billy, plus the issue of the stairs?’
‘I remember. How is she coping since leaving hospital?’
‘That’s just it. She’s been staying at the residential place to convalesce. I saw her yesterday afternoon and she was in better spirits, being back in the village with her friends able to visit her and update her on the local gossip!’
Smiling, Kate nodded. ‘I can imagine. I wish I’d known she was there, I’d have stopped by. What’s the problem?’
‘Yvonne is talking about taking her home and either making alterations to the house or moving to a bungalow.’
‘And Lizzie doesn’t want to go,’ Kate supplied.
Conor’s smile was appreciative. ‘We’re clearly on the same wavelength. Lizzie is enjoying being in the hub of things—she has a unit of her own on the ground floor and is able to have some independence but with help on hand twenty-four hours a day. It’s an ideal solution for her—but she’s worried how Yvonne will react.’ A pout of consideration shaped his mouth and drew her attention to his lips, bringing the memory of their feel and taste.
‘Um, well…’ She cleared her throat, forcing herself to look away. ‘Have you spoken to Yvonne?’
‘She and Billy have felt the burden of Lizzie’s care this past year but she’s adamant Lizzie should be with them,’ he explained.
‘Probably neither party wants to hurt the other’s feelings,’ Kate mused. ‘Would they be all right financially if Lizzie stayed on permanently at the home? It’s an impressive place.’
Conor nodded, twisting a pen through his fingers. ‘I gather Lizzie has the money from the sale of her home. I’ll have another chat with Yvonne this week and try to get her and Lizzie talking honestly to each other about their real feelings. Sometimes you can get so close to things you can’t see the solution.’
‘Right.’ She rose to her feet, unsettled by the underlying edge in his voice, scared he might be alluding to her own unwillingness to confide in him. Despite being eager to escape, she lingered a moment, unable to help herself. ‘Thanks for the photos. How are the kittens?’
‘It’s been an exhausting round of playing, eating and sleeping so far!’
‘They must be a handful,’ she agreed, hearing her own wistfulness.
Green eyes turned warm. ‘Any time you want to come and play with them you’re more than welcome.’
‘Thanks.’ It was tempting. But so was Conor and being at his house wasn’t sensible. ‘I’d best get on.’
‘Hannah emailed this morning. She says you’re coming to the dinner.’
His words stopped her before she reached the door. ‘She asked me, but I haven’t decided.’
‘I hope you’ll say yes, Kate.’
The sultry green gaze
and husky voice made her hot right through. Temptation was becoming harder and harder to resist.
CHAPTER TEN
DEAR God!
Conor felt his whole body going into meltdown as he looked at Kate. Having managed, with Hannah’s help, to cajole her into attending the fundraising dinner, he’d forced himself into a dreaded suit for the occasion, anticipation bringing him to the flat several minutes early.
‘I won’t be long, I’m not quite ready,’ she said, and he was thankful she was unaware of his predicament, his raging desire mixed with stunned shock.
He tried to draw air into starved lungs, his gaze following her, devouring her. From the first day he had admired her natural beauty but never more so than now, the bare minimum of make-up needed to enhance brown eyes he wanted to drown in and dusky-rose lips he couldn’t wait to taste again. Her dark brown hair was loose, just the way he loved it, falling in a glossy curtain to frame her face and brush her bare shoulders, a wispy fringe feathering her brow. His fingers itched to bury themselves in the silken thickness. As for her outfit…Conor swallowed the restriction in his throat. How those two minute little straps secured the low-cut bodice in place he had no idea, but it clung to accentuate the generous swell of her breasts and brought him out in a sweat. His mouth went dry. Heart pounding, his pulse raced as his gaze continued down, seeing how the fabric skimmed the gentle flare of her hips and the trousers shaped the lush curve of her rear before moulding the length of her long legs. The creamy colour of the one-piece suit brought out the olive tones of her skin, the fabric covered in silver-grey threads that shimmered as she moved. Conor stared, overcome with heat and arousal. The temptation to touch was unbearable. No way was he going to get through this evening. Smothering a groan, he thrust his hands into his pockets in an attempt to stop himself giving in to his baser instincts. All he wanted was to lock the door, strip off her clothes and spend the whole night lovingly and thoroughly exploring every inch of her.
A Doctor Worth Waiting For Page 13
